an open book
by B-Elanna
Summary: This story continues where the episode an open book doesn't. It follows David after Keith breaks up with him. AU


Six feet Under

David stared at the retreating form of Keith's car. He couldn't really grasp what just had happened yet. Had Keith really broken up with him? 

Yes, yes he had, he finally realized after a few minutes. He looked away from the spot where the car had disappeared and saw that many people were staring at him curious. 

He tried to glare at them, but for once he couldn't put on a different mask as memories of him and Keith kept resurfacing in his head. 

What was he to do now? What was he to do without Keith, the love of his life?

He started to walk not sure of where he was going as he just followed his feet.

Many hours later he suddenly spotted a very familiar building at the end of what was like the hundred street he had walked through. It was a church. THE church to be exact. The place where he and Keith had first met.

He looked around surprised. How in the hell had he ended up in here?"

When he looked at his telephone to check the time, he saw that it already was 3 o'clock in the night (?) and that he had missed 8 calls, 5 of them were made at the Fisher's residence and three were made by Keith.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

22:00 h ( a few hours before)

"Hi Keith. Davids' brother Nate here."

"Ow hi Nate, why are you calling me?"

"I just wondered whether David is with you at the moment or not?"

"He's not."

"Well have you any idea where he might be at than? Because we had a very important meeting with some clients three hours ago and it's nothing like him not to show up."

"I can't help you there, sorry." Keith said curtly. 

"Ow okay, if you do hear from him, let him give me a ring alright?"

"I'm sure I won't see him."

"Aha, thanks for your time then. Bye."

Nate frowned as he hung up the phone, _what was that all about?_ He had thought that Keith had been such a kind and friendly person. But that was probably all one big game.

Keith didn't really know what he was supposed to do know. It was true that he of course still loved David, but their relationship unfortunately hadn't worked out. He looked at his watch. It was 22.15h, only ten hours ago they had been in each others arms, David holding him tightly, telling him he would always love him.

He decided to call Nate at 1 o'clock in the evening and ask if David had returned yet. If he hadn't…. well he would think about that later.

He sat down and tried to watch one of his favourite movies, but he just couldn't keep his thoughts with The Wiz tonight.

He kept glancing at the clock of his VCR every now and then. Until at 24.30h, he picked up the phone and dialled the Fisher's number, not being ale to wait any longer.

"Ruth Fisher."

"Hello ma'am, Keith Charles here. Could I please talk to Nate?"

"Is this about David?"

"Yes, it is.

"Thank God, you are a cop right? Are you going to look for my son?"

"Yes I work with the police, but we aren't going to look yet. He is an adult and he has only been gone for ten hours. I take it, he hasn't showed up yet?"

"No, he hasn't. So you are saying you are NOT going to look for him? But what if he lies dying in the gutter somewhere? Who knows, maybe he is dead already? Or kidnapped, or robbed, or….?"

"Ma'am, I'm sure he's fine." Keith said, trying to convince both himself and Mrs Fisher.

"But just to be sure I'll patrol around the neighbourhood, alright?"

"Thank you. Is there anything we can do?" Ruth asked, blowing her nose.

"I suggest that one of you stays at home and the others go looking for him as well. Each of you should take a cell phone with you, so we can contact each other, when there is some news, okay?"

"Alright, when are we going to stop searching?"

"We will look for the entire night, if it proves to be necessary and if he still hasn't showed up in the morning  I'll file in a report."

"Thank you so much Keith. Ow what's your phone number?"

"I believe Nate already has it."

"I see, I do hope we find my baby fast." Ruth sniffed.

"I'm sure we will, Mrs Fisher. I will call you again in an hour to tell you where I've been and ask for the places where you have searched for him."

"Okay. Bye." 

Keith hung up with a worried sigh.

_Damn where was David at? _He thought hard of all the places where David could have gone to. _What if he is dead? It's your fault if anything bad has happened to him and you know it. _

A tiny voice said in his head. He pushed the thought away, quickly grabbed his jacket and keys and stepped into his car.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

David deleted the calls and sat down from fatigue. His body and mind started to realize exactly how much they had gone through and decided they needed a rest. He stood up again and dragged his body into an alcove so he lay a little sheltered from the wind and cold.

When he finally lay down as comfortable as possible, all his memories and thoughts came flowing back to him. He had spent the last couple of hours in some kind of zombie haze.

The only thoughts he was allowed to think was how to put one foot for the other and to just keep on breathing. But now laying her all alone, he realized again that he wouldn't be able to hold Keith ever again. He started to cry softly, his body trembling from the cold he was experiencing both from the in- and outside.

He lay there for he didn't how long, when suddenly two headlights shined upon the door of the church mere meters away. A car door opened and was shut again, followed by a pair of footsteps, which drew nearer with each step.

A flash light could be seen now moving up and down the wall near David's resting place.

"David, …. Dave are you there?" a voice spoke softly. "Damn Dave where are …." The person suddenly stopped talking, when he spotted him lying in the alcove.

"Oh my God, Dave. What are you doing there?" The person asked, kneeling down beside him.

"K- Keith?" David asked, not believing his eyes. His teeth chattered from the cold.

The other man pulled him into his arms.

"Gods, you're frozen. Let's get inside the car, alright?" he pulled David onto his feet and walked him to his car, still holding him in his arms. He opened one of the doors and tried to push Davis inside softly, but his former lover refused to let go. He still held him with all his might, his heart just refused to let him go again.

"Dave, what are you doing?" Keith asked surprised.

"I … I don't know. I just want to hold you for a while, so I will never forget how your body feels next to mine." He blurted out. He immediately shut his eyes, when he realized what he  had just said.

"Dave.." Keith whispered in his ear, not really knowing how to respond.

Just then his phone rang.

"Keith Charles."

"Hello Keith, Ruth Fisher here. Any sign of David yet?" she asked worried.

"As a matter of fact ma'am, I found him some minutes ago." Keith replied, looking at the trembling man in his arms.

"What!!!" Ruth exclaimed. "Is he alright?"

"Yes, just a little cold and fatigued, that's all."

"Can speak with him?"

"He has almost fallen asleep. I think it is best to wait until we get back."

"Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes then."

"Dave, we really have to go now."

He finally pulled away from Keith and composed himself as best as he could, putting his emotionless mask back into place. "Sorry." He said in an empty voice.

Keith looked at him, sorrow showing in his eyes.

"It's okay." Keith said, caressing his face. "Maybe we…..maybe I …well .. I …uh never mind. Let's just go alright."

David nodded his head, not trusting his voice enough to speak.

The drive over to the Fisher's residence was short and silent. They both didn't really know what to say, or to do for that matter.

"God David, what did you that for?" Ruth exclaimed, as soon as the two men entered the house.

"I…uh… I just needed to get away from it all." He replied looking at his feet.

"Has it to do with your father? With us?" his mother asked worried.

"No it has nothing to do with you guys, don't worry. It's all my stupid fault, I'm the one to blame." He told her, clearly regretting the way things had gone with Keith.

"What's wrong then?" she demanded to know.

David was at loss for words now, Keith could clearly see that, so he quickly helped him:

"I think it would be best for David if he would take a good night's rest now."

Ruth looked at him for the first time this evening.

"Of course, I'm sorry David. We will discuss this tomorrow."

"I can hardly wait." He replied softly in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What did you say?" Ruth asked, when she saw Keith grinning amused.

"Nothing, I said nothing." David lied, walking towards his room.

Keith stood a little lost in the room now, surrounded by the Fisher's and Brenda.

"Uh… I think I'll better say good night to him." He said, feeling very silly all of the sudden.

"Again thank you very much Keith. I doubt we would have found him without you." Mrs Fisher smiled. "Why don't you come over for dinner tomorrow night. I would really appreciate that and I am sure David would too."

"I'm not sure if I'm available or not, I'll have to check my schedule." Keith didn't really know whether it was a good idea if he would see David after tonight ever again. It would only make it harder for the both of them. He smiled at them one last time and hurried towards his ex-lovers room.

He stopped in front of the closed door, that let to his room, not sure whether to knock or not.

He finally thought: _what the hell_ and knocked onto the door rapidly with his knuckles. 

"I thought you had just suggested that we would discuss everything in the morning!" David's voice clearly showed that he was quite irritated.

"It's me Dave."

"Ow sorry Keith, come on in." David said opening the door after a few seconds.

Even though there were no tears apparent on his face, still his eyes looked all red and  puffy.

"Have you been crying?"

"Why? What gave you that thought?"

"Well your eyes give you away." Keith told him, smiling a little.

David quickly looked into the nearest mirror.

"Geez, I look like shit!" he exclaimed, touching his face in the meanwhile.

"I've seen worse." Keith remarked, trying to lighten up the moos up a little bit.

"Really?" Davis asked, cocking one delicate eyebrow.

"Yeah, you look worse all the time. Like every morning we wake up together."

"Hahahahahah, no fair! You like hell in the morning as well."

"I do not!"

"Yes you do, trust me." David replied smiling.

"Damn, next time I'll just have to set my alarm before you do so I can freshen up a little."

"Next time, hah?" David remarked, immediately slipping into a much fouler mood. 

"I was speaking hypothetical, of course." Keith said, stepping a little closer towards him.

"Of course." He replied, cocking both of his eyebrows this time in a mix of surprise and confusion. "you do know that you are saying one thing and doing the other, right."

"Yes I know." The cop said, moving even closer. "But that's because my mind and heart are having this major struggle as my heart says we should give it another try, while my mind says it wouldn't work out anyway."

"And to which of those two do you listen the most?"

"My heart." Keith replied, closing the gab between them and kissing him passionately. 


End file.
